Want some theophanies?

Oh; all right then! Nothing further to think about. He goes on to point out that the Qur’an says so, and give the sura where it says so. Then he gets to the thinky part.

God is a given, and our lives are an opportunity to learn about and experience God in countless different ways because the universe is a collection of theophanies: God’s infinite variety of names is manifested throughout the diversity of nature that includes our complex, intertwined lives.

15 Responses to “Want some theophanies?”

Now, whether we should is a different and, I’d say, more interesting question.

Personally, I like to see some evidence, or at least know that some people who’ve looked at whatever the subject is have looked at it sceptically and seen some evidence. Belief without evidence is just guessing. But then, I’m a godless morally bankrupt atheist.

Frankly I find that kind of godhaver refreshing; since they don’t attempt to justify their belief, then you’re spared the tons of empty verbiage and abuses of philosophy and science that accompany these justifications.

Julian Baggini’s response is an excellent piece, FWIW. Exactly what I would have said, except better. And his paragraph which begins “It should be obvious that this process can never be traced back to a pure, unconditioned choice,” is a brilliant observation.

There are many parallels between this piece and what I was taught in the Southern Baptist (and later the Wesleyan) Church in my previous life several years ago. The line “God is a given, and our lives are an opportunity to learn about and experience God in countless different ways” could’ve been lifted right out of our Monday night young adult coffeehouse sermon.

And if I had a penny for every time a friend or family member has told me some variation of “God exists, obviously”, well…

More to the point, if you could choose to believe in god, why the he’ll would you choose the gods currently available? Unless you hated women and gays in the first place and just needed something to justify your prejudices?